Inquiring fans want to know: Why bench Wallace for Michaels?

Sorry, Brad, I don’t get this one. Maybe you can help me and a passel of fans.

Replacing lefty Brett Wallace in the lineup with righty Jason Michaels doesn’t make sense to the average fan. For that matter, baseball folk are also a little perplexed. Yes, there is an unwritten baseball rule that you play the veterans down the stretch and you bow to those players who supposedly have “put in their time”.

But when the season is over before the All-Star break — and, yes, this one is well-done, thank you — it’s time to throw the handbook out the window.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still solidly and completely in the Brad Mills’ camp, but Wallace will be here in 2013. Lee, Michaels and a handful of others will not. Wallace will not be platooning then (hopefully) and shouldn’t be platooning now.

Be respectful of Lee and Michaels and give them their due. But not every time a lefty pitches.

Here are the facts. Against left-handed starters:

Lee is hitting .309 with a .338 OBP.

Michaels is hitting .250 with a .278 OBP.

Wallace is hitting .224 with a .309 OBP.

Lee and Michaels are both 35, Wallace is 24.

If these stats are dictating the benching of Wallace versus lefties, perhaps the Astros should find an alternative for Lee when right-handers are on the mound. Against right-handed pitchers, Lee has been to the plate 260 times, hitting .241 with a .293 OBP and .666 OPS.

There would be absolutely nothing wrong with running Brian Bogusevic out there a game or two while Lee takes a break. Granted, Bogu may be one of those AAAA players who may be out of baseball in a few years, but it’s a lot better to find that out in 2011 than keep wondering — er, wandering — into 2013, if you know what I mean.

At the very least, perhaps moving Wallace into the cleanup spot and shifting Lee to fifth or sixth against righties might be productive. Wallace is seeing the ball well out of the right hand, hitting .312 to go along with that .399 OBP and .853 OPS in those situations. This is perhaps even more true when the Astros play at Minute Maid Park, where Wallace turns in a .341/.437/.902 line against all pitchers.

Management can make a case for playing Lee because of his seniority, his salary or because of that unwritten veteran rule, but it’s time to call it what it is and at least recognize that it’s a team game. What’s good for Wallace (sitting against lefties, spot start for Michaels, etc.) is good for Lee.